While the origins of kickball are uncertain -- some believe World War II soldiers invented the game -- most people remember it from elementary school gym class.
Played on a softball diamond but with a big red rubber ball, kickball has bounced from the school yard into the adult world of coed sports leagues in the past several years.
These leagues are an ever-popular and relaxing option for exercise-seeking adults, amateur athletes or colleagues looking to let off some steam.
However, in recent years, that company softball league has gone retro -- really retro. As
Rejuvenile author Christopher Noxon notes, adults are now modeling their leisure pursuits on those of their childhood.
Noxon, whose book details the emergence of adults who openly play childhood games, says, "It's one of the greatest de-stressors I know ... You go play golf or racquetball -- you're going to be a little more worked up afterwards. [But] five innings of kickball, a bar afterwards, and you'll forget all your troubles."
Play Ball
The rules of kickball are similar to softball: Most games last five innings, with each team taking turns at bat and in the field.
There are a few key differences, however.
Kickball players can be tagged out by a thrown ball; and while the 10-inch rubber ball may be easier to catch than a softball, it is definitely harder to throw.
However, the ultimate difference between playing on a coed kickball team and on a softball team lies in the fun factor.
Baton Rouge, La., league player Casey Kayser, 27, notes that kickball is far less intimidating than softball.
"I always wanted to play softball, but I was scared of the ball. I just sat on the sidelines and drank. With kickball, for once I wasn't on the sidelines, but out there playing. It's a fun, supportive environment," Kayser explains.
Scott Murry, 27, founder of Baton Rouge's
Kickball League, claims the sport is so enjoyable because "there's no stress associated with it. It's not like growing up playing softball or baseball, where most people had coaches and teachers telling them what to do. Kickball has always been a playground sport."
Kevin Dailey, 36, co-founder of the
Brooklyn Kickball League, which plays on Sundays in McCarren Park in Brooklyn, N.Y., points out that kickball "is promoted as a social event as much as a sporting event. It's more social than softball."
Penelope Dane
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